The Case for Going to Therapy with “Nothing to Talk About” That Week
When we first start therapy we often come in with specific topics and events in mind to talk about. There feels like so much to unpack. As the sessions go on and we’ve discussed all of what we originally came in for, sometimes we are faced with "nothing to talk about" and the urge to stop therapy. Here are just a few reasons why it can be important to push through that feeling and continue with the process even when you feel like you "have nothing to talk about" that week.
Feeling Better After Therapy
At the first start of therapy, the sense of purging all that has been running through our minds can feel so good! It can be such a huge sense of relief to unburden our minds in a safe space that sometimes (not always) we may feel like we don’t need to keep coming back. After that first session, or the few thereafter, you may walk away feeling a sense of clarity and relief that makes you feel as if engaging in the process isn’t as pressing as you originally thought. Perhaps, you think that with this new sense of lightened load, you can just kick that can down the road for a few more years.
For some, it may be true that relief is lasting, but it is also quite common for most people to realize that they eventually end up right back where they started. That realization can leave them wishing that they had started sooner or that they had invested more time working with their therapist on the deeper rooted issues still lying in wait beneath the surface.
Committing To The Therapy Process
There are yet other ways that we accidentally sabotage our own progress in the process by canceling or rescheduling sessions when there is "nothing to talk about" that week. As a practicing licensed counselor who specializes in EMDR, I have learned (as well as being guilty of this myself in therapy a time or two in the past) that clients are sometimes afraid of wasting either their time or the time of the therapist. They fear that by coming in when there is "nothing new" to share that week they should avoid therapy since they are not in the midst of chaos or the initial issue has passed.
While it is true that as therapy progresses, it is quite reasonable for your therapist to recommend to schedule your sessions further apart. This part of the healing process is normal and feeling better is the intended goal! That said, however, while you are starting to feel better and your initial symptoms resolve, then this is when deeper work can often begin. Even if you may feel like there is "nothing to talk about" and the most recent issue has passed, your therapist may strongly encourage you to trust the process of pushing forward while the deeper work begins.
EMDR Therapy In Orlando
As an EMDR therapist who focuses on early childhood experiences, the 'week to week' happenings are only a portion of what we will spend time on in session. Regardless of the modalities your specific therapist is using, the incredibly valuable sessions take place when you are capable of doing deeper self-exploration, after you have been relieved of the initial symptoms that brought you in.
As your therapy sessions get further in and spaced out, I often ask my clients to make a note in their phone specifically for the therapy process. This is a place where they can make notes of anything that they struggle with or that comes up for them between sessions, even if they feel they are able to effectively cope at that time. Celebrating these wins together and finding out what is working is part of the therapy journey too!
How Therapy Works For You
A good therapist is there as a skilled resource for you to discuss not just the very valid current stressors you’re experiencing, but also to help you better understand yourself on a deeper level. They will help you make lasting changes so that you will be able to better handle what’s ahead.
The decision to end therapy is something for you and your therapist to collaborate on together. Ultimately, you are still the one in charge of your therapy journey and what feels right for you but when you allow your therapist to be a part of that decision, you also allow for the best outcome.
Therapy Success
If you find yourself missing sessions or hesitant to go due to not knowing what to talk about that week, I encourage you to further discuss this feeling with your therapist. They can help you reevaluate your specific goals and help you determine how they can help you achieve them. This type of therapeutic collaboration is the surest way to achieving the deepest level of lasting change and growth!
For more information on EMDR therapy in Orlando, or to contact the author of this article, you can contact Courtney Fyvolent at Orlando Thrive Therapy. She is a local Orlando counselor who specializes in working with adults through counseling, EMDR, and trauma therapy in Orlando.
